Autism is a multifaceted wonder. After years and years of research, millions of dollars raised and spent, we still don't have all the answers. What we know, or what we think we know, is subject to change when provided with new evidence. New studies. New genetic factors discovered. New environmental factors.
This research is important, but you know what else is important. Listening to adults with autism. Listening to people who are actually autistic and who are able to advocate for themselves and open a window into their minds. I used the words "actually autistic" purposely because that is a common hashtag for autistic adults.
These adults, these advocates, are who we need to support, who we need to learn from. Their lived experience has real value and can make a huge impact for the future.
Would we know how important or how different autistic sensory perception is if we had never listened to Temple Grandin?
Would we know how difficult eye contact can be or how distracting it is if we had never listened to John Elder Robison, author of the book Look Me in the Eye?
What else are we missing if we don't include autistic voices in places of influence? Just imagine how much more we could understand by listening to those who live it, day after day.
With April coming up, it's especially important to advocate for acceptance for actually autistic people, and embrace the diversity that they bring to the table.
Autistic people are not a puzzle. They are not a problem to be solved. They don't need a cure. They need inclusion. They need respect.
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